The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-05-26
Burning of the Opera Comique.

BurDtzz of the Opera Comique.
PARIS, May 25.-The Opera Comique
took fire this evening. The whole
building is now wrapped in flames.
Several persons are injured. Fourteen
persons who jumped from the windows
are dead, and forty-three injured.
Probably many were crushed to death
in the galleries, but at present this is
uncertain.
The fire broke out during the first act
Of the opera Mignon. One of the wings
caught fire from gas yet, and the en-
tire stage was Immediately enveloped in
flames. The fire soon spread to the
whole house. Madame Mergvillier and
Nine. Tasquim and Bernard were on
the stage when the fire broke out. All
the actors ran out in their stage cos
tunes. The audience got out easily,
but the gas was turned off before all
left the building, and it is feared some
are left in the upper tiers. The roof
soon fell in, sending showers of sparks
as far as the place De La Bourse. With
the exception of Madame Sellers, who
persisted, all the actors escaped, though
a number were seriously injured. FIVE
bodies, terribly burned, were conveyed
to the National Library, among them the
body OF woman clasping little boy
in her arms.
The money receipts were saved and
deposited in Gaulbe's Office. The fire
men showed the greatest courage. NJ.
NJ. Goblet 81 Thbeau were on the
spot soon after the fire started, and re-
manned. throughout with tn. fire
officials. The military club rendered
great assistance in the work of resist
ing the crowding of people toward the
building. Nineteen persons are known
to be dead. 1t is supposed the
artificial fire apparatus which had
been placed in position in readiness
for the burning of the palace in the Sec
ond act rolled down from its place near
the roof and exploded, Women half
clad, carrying their costumes, fed from
the stage, screaming; supers and mem
bers of the chorus were terrified.
Some of the latter fed with nothing
on but tights. The flames spread
with such rapidity that in fifteen min
uJes the stage was vast furnace. Sew
eral actors escaped by climbing to the
roof on the side of the Rue De Meri-
vaute, where they were rescued by fire
escapes. NJ. Tasquin implored the
audience to remain seated until
the exits were opened, which they
did. If they had made a rush for
the doors, the loss of life would have
been terrible. The police outside were
unable to restrain the crowd, who be-
sieged the building inquiring for friends,
until a military Gordon was formed.
One man who wanted to rescue his
brother and sister raved, tore his hair,
and menaeed with stick the people who
stopped lin from rushing into the
blazing building. The scene outside
was one of the widest excitement
Falling emDers struck the horses in the
surrounding streets, causing them to
plunge and rear. The flames shot out Of
every window, forcing the crowd into
narrow streets, where the crush was
terrific. One woman says there were
broke out She heard glass breaking,
but told others not to mind it.
But while she was speaking a column
of fame broke through the wings with
roar and all rushed pell nell from the
stage. Many policemen were injured.
1t is still unknown how many persons
we're unable to escape from the doomed
building. Only a fortnight ago, NJ.
Steinakers called attention in the Cham
Der of Deputies to the dangerous
condition of the Opera Comique, the
oldest theatre in Paris. Figaro also
called attention to the same thing after
the recent twelve hour benefit perform
ance. The audience were delayed a
few minutes by the dense smoke. Direc-
tor Solell, with his wife and two chill
dren, escaped without injury. The
killed included four Gremen. There
was not a frantic rush in the
theatres but it is believed the stair
case became blocked. The curtain was
lowered in front of the stage, and this
prevented the fire spreading immedi-
ately to the auditorium, and allowed
the audience time to escape. The men
who carried away the money chest
report that when they left the
auditorium was quite empty. The
fire brigade distinguished themselves.
Many had narrow escapes. Most OF
tie casualties, so far reported, were due
to nervousness. Many persons who
were unable to trust themselves
to walk the narrow ledge OF
the cornice around the building,
jumped off in terror. One woman
coolly walked around the cornice while
the flames were bursting,above her until
she reached the fire escape. The vic
tins are almost all singers. The streets
in the vicinity of the burned theatre
we're crowded until an early hour
this morning. The doctors attended
many persons who had been bruised.
Sewell, solicitor OF the British embassy,
said the audience showed great calm
ness when the alarm was given.